UK Master's Degrees

A UK master's degree will open doors for you all over the world. There is a huge variety of courses available so it is important to be clear about what you want to achieve. GetSet's professional counsellors will take you through your options (syllabus, cost and time), putting you in the driver's seat and heading wherever it is that you want to go. Get in touch today for your free consultation.

How long does it take to get a master's degree?

In the United Kingdom a full-time taught masters degree usually takes just one year although some programmes take two years of class study.

What are the classes like?

Most courses are taught in a seminar or lecture format and supplemented with small-group or individual discussion tutorials with a tutor. Some courses involve practical classes or laboratory work. Universities in the United Kingdom uphold a strong tradition of close personal contact between you and your tutor, but they will expect you to be able to work independently and organise your own schedule to a greater extent than may be the case in your home country.

How much work is involved?

In a typical taught masters programme students take taught courses (lectures) for the first half or two-thirds of the year (usually writing at least one major 5,000 word paper) and then work for the remainder of the year on a research paper known as a 'dissertation'.

The dissertation is a 10,000 - 12,000 word research paper that requires students to build on the work that they have done throughout the course, combine this with independent research and to produce new research ideas of their own. This emphasis on novel research is one that you will not find to the same extent in undergraduate programmes.

If you are considering a technical or vocational program, you may be able to replace the disertation with a practical project that is appropriate to your subject major.

How will the university assess me?

In most cases universities assess your performance in taught programmes based upon your dissertation (or project) and a combination of your coursework results and written examinations.

What are the entrance requirements?

The English language requirement is generally 6.5 IELTS or 90 - 100 iBT TOEFL but in some cases it can be lower (6.0 IELTS or 80-90 iBT TOEFL) or higher (7.0 IELTS).

A relevant bachelor's degree is usually required to gain entrance to a taught master's course.

If your bachelor's degree does not meet the university's relevancy requirements for the program that you want to study we can point you towards conversion courses that will get you to where you want to be. Business and information technology/computing departments typically offer conversion courses to degree holders in any subject area.

So-called 'mature students' without a degree but with substantial and relevant work experience can often gain admission to a master's programme without having to enrol in a bachelor's degree first. Talk to us and we'll find the best path for you to take.

MBA programmes generally require two-to-five years' work experience although a few programmes don't require any. Some high ranked business departments require a GMAT score but for the majority this is not necessary. There is not usually any stipulation regarding the area of study for the bachelor's degree.

What paperwork do I need?

University application form. GetSet offices maintain a supply of these for every institution in the United Kingdom.

Degree certificate and transcript. If you did not graduate from university but have work experience it may be possible to apply to some universities with a junior college diploma.

Study plan. What's a study plan? We'll walk you through that.

Two references. A reference is a letter from a relevant person who knows you and can attest to your character, skills and experience. Get one from your employer and one from your most-recent place of study. If you do not have any work experience, provide two academic references.

IELTS/TOEFL certificate. Most universities allow you to send this at a later date if you don't have it when you send your application. We can check this out for you.

Portfolio. If you are applying for an art or design course you must provide a portfolio with at least ten pieces of your own work on compact disk or slides.

GMAT. Some of the top-tier business schools require this qualification. We'll let you know if this affects you.